Excerpts from the pjstar.com:
City Hall and the union that represents Peoria firefighters are at odds over an ordinance that could change the way public safety employees are compensated after an injury.
At the crux of a lawsuit filed this week in Peoria County Circuit Court by the International Association of Firefighters Local 50 is the definition of a catastrophic injury. The city, in a June 12 ordinance, sought to define the term to cut down on abuse, according to a document issued to the council.
“While the General Assembly did not define ‘catastrophic injury’ in the legislation, they do allow cities to establish a procedure for reviewing these types of claims and providing some definition to catastrophic injury,” said City Manager Patrick Urich.“This ordinance provides that procedure for Peoria. The city believes catastrophic injury means being severely injured to the point of never being able to work again, in any field.”
The union, however, doesn’t see it that way and believes the city’s action is unlawful and blatantly wrong.
“The issue is, what the city of Peoria is doing is against the law. Every citizen should be concerned when a municipality decides they are going to ignore the rule of law and create their own law,” said the union’s attorney, Jerry Marzullo.
Under the Illinois Public Safety Employees Benefit Act, a firefighter or a police officer who is injured so severely that they can’t continue could have a change in their benefits if they are awarded a line of duty disability benefit from a pension board. Such a benefit covers health care costs and other issues.
